


Scarlet Reality

by BluesBree



Category: Original Work
Genre: Action/Adventure, Blood and Gore, Body Horror, Dead Dove: Do Not Eat, Death, F/F, F/M, Fantasy, Graphic Depictions of Torture, Horror, Multi, Reverse Harem, Romance, Supernatural Elements, Yandere
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-24
Updated: 2019-08-24
Packaged: 2020-09-25 04:42:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 20,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20370871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BluesBree/pseuds/BluesBree
Summary: They were warned to never enter the Crimson Woods. They knew those that went in would never return. Brilliana never expected herself to step into that cursed place, but when both her best friends disappear within it's scarlet confines, what else is she meant to do? All she can do is enter, and hope that she makes it back out in one piece.





	1. Cunning Images

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brilliana was on her way to school, another normal day with one of her friends lost to the woods, when the woods reveals a little girl with a smile that seemed to be... Beckoning to her? With Brilliana's other friend unable to see her, the two continue on... But Brilliana has a bad feeling about today.

The Crimson Woods.

All their life, kids have been told never to enter. Cursed things lie beyond the border of the dense plantation, darkened with a fierce hostility that kept most from even trying. Though, the foolishly brave that did attempt to enter its confines were rumored to never return from its clutches. Soldiers, drunk husbands hellbent on impressing their comrades, even naive little kids whose balls had rolled off into the darkness, and in their rush to retrieve it, disappeared into the haze as well.

Brilliana had never even thought to bother with them growing up. Her focus had always been on pursuing her future, and as far as she was concerned the deadly forest had nothing to do with it. However, it felt like a soft voice called out for her whenever she'd walk by the forbidden foliage, something whispering in the back of her mind to step inside and experience life on the dangerous side for once. She always shook those pestering thoughts out of her mind, and made haste to get away from the stained red trunk.

She once recalled somebody taking a chainsaw to the brittle wood, but it had seemed to bounce off of it as if it were rubber, injuring the lumberjack in its stead. Shivering at her memory of the startled screech, she immediately shook the vision away. Since then, nobody was idiotic enough to try and cut down one of the trees. Something about the forest was... Unnatural. Some would even say supernatural. She considered that to be a bunch of nonsense though. 'The reason for the chainsaw bouncing away was probably just due to it being extremely dull', She reasoned in her head, satisfied with her dismissive answer.

As always, she had more important things to worry about. She was eighteen- she'd be graduating this year, and she had to decide which College to go to for her career in Astronomy. She had always valued the peace that the stars and space itself brought her, even as a young child. Her mother always mentioned that she had been drawn to the stars above them. Her older brother would joke that perhaps she was really an alien from outer space, but the video of her birth proved otherwise.

Another shiver ran up her spine at that, and immediately she shook away her memories once again. Nobody needed to remember that video.

She intended to keep walking forward, onto the large building that awaited her, full of knowledge and the skills she'd need to survive, but something in her peripheral vision caught her eye. It was the sight of a girl, smiling happily from within the scarlet woods.

She looked to be around eight or nine, her golden locks flowing in non-existent wind to perfectly frame her small, rounded face. She reached a hand out toward Brilliana, and though all of her instincts fought against it, she ended up talking a few steps toward the cursed place. Her pale hand even began to reach out toward the other, only for her attention to be ripped away by the sound of familiar chattering. Looking away from the girl, her eyes were drawn to a talkative female, who seemed to be calling out to her. "Brill! Hey—Briiiiiiiiiill!!!"

Brill momentarily glanced back over to the woods, but any trace of the girl was gone, leaving Brilliana alone with a soft breeze that chilled her to the bone. "Gee Eli, could you be any louder?"

She waited for the other to catch up to her, Eli seeming to be out of breath. "Soh-Sohhry! I just wanted to catch up to you! I noticed you looking into the woods, you know better man! We can't be wandering in there, or we'll never return. You don't want to end up like..."

She didn't finish her sentence. She didn't have to. Both girls grimly recalled their friend that they'd lost to the woods, only mere months ago. Stalla had only intended to go in for a peek at all the fuss, but before either of the two could stop her, she was gone. The odd thing was, neither Brill nor Eli knew what fuss had caused her to step inside the foliage in the first place.

"Don't worry, Eli. I have no intention to go into that place. I don't believe it's cursed as people say, but I certainly don't want to get lost in that dense leafage. There's got to be a reason nobody comes back out, be it some horrible animal, or starvation. There's a logical explanation for everything."

"I know, but that just doesn't explain Stalla... She never would have stayed in there long enough to get lost, plus, we both know she was studying to be a navigator! She'd never be -able- to get lost, even if she tried! It doesn't make any sense!" Eli protested. "It has to be supernatural!"

"Oh, good lord not this again. Look, I'm going to School. You can stay here and ponder the forest all you'd like, I have an education to pursue." With those words out of her mouth, she once again began to walk. She didn't dare mention the little girl to Eli- Not until she could come up with a reasonable explanation for her. How had she been in the forest like that...? Nobody ever spotted children in the forest. Hell, nobody ever spotted -anybody- in the forest. Once they stepped past that first tree, they were gone. So how had she...?

\--

Far too quickly, Brilliana heard the final school bell ring. With a frustrated sigh, she looked down at her notebook. Instead of the picture-perfect notes it was usually coated with, it had sketches of the girl from the forest. Why did it bug her so much? She wasn't even able to focus during class. It was unusual for her, and all it did was serve to upset her. Upon feeling a light touch on her shoulder, she instinctively snapped the spiral book shut, flinching involuntarily away from the warm hand. "Jesus Eli! I told you not to sneak up on me!"

Immediately, Eli withdrew, holding her hands up in surprise. "Oh, right, I totally forgot! I'm sorry Brill!!" She clasped her hands together, and quickly bowed multiple times to Brilliana, an apologetic smile on her face. With another sigh, Brill let her fist lightly tap Eli on the head.

"Oh, stop that. I know you didn't forget- You're air-headed, but you're not that stupid." She chuckled, a soft grin on her face. Eli returned it with her own bright smile.

"Yeah, I guess I do remember something about not sneaking up on you, I must have just elected to ignore it for now." She hummed, letting her hands meet behind her own neck. "Should we walk home together? My folks probably expect me to show up with you by my side- They know your Mom is away on business and promised to at least check up on you, after all."

Ah, right. Her mother had apologized profusely the day before, mentioning that she had to go to Japan on business for a month. Due to Brilliana being eighteen she didn't mind too much leaving her home alone, but had requested that Eli's parents check up on her anyway. It worked out- Brill and Eli had known each other since preschool, and the two had no desire to lose each other like they did their third. Since that incident, the two had been practically inseparable, except for the moments they were forced to spend at their own houses.

"I can drop by with you, but I've got a lot of studying to do tonight. Plus, doesn't a certain somebody have a date with that cute girl from Spa- "

"Shh---!" A hand covered Brill's mouth, but Eli could still feel her grin piercing into her. She groaned over-dramatically, running her free hand down her face. "Alright fine, I have a date with Felicia. I'm taking her out to dinner at that new Italian restaurant, down in town- But don't tell anyone! I wanna be the first to spread the news if we become official." Slowly, Eli removed her hand from Brilliana's mouth.

Brill couldn't hold back her chuckle at this. "Of course, just as long as I'm the first one you tell."

"Well, duh, why wouldn't you be? Who else am I gonna tell first, Stal- ..."

Both girls drew silent. Without a word, Eli moved to grip Brill's hand tightly, their gazes interlocking. "...I hope she's okay... I want to see her again, Brilliana."

"...Yeah. Me too, Eliza." Looking down at their connected hands, Brill's eyes were drawn to the identical bracelets around their wrists. But a part was missing. A part that would never be connected again. Brill fumbled with the charms on the bracelets, attaching the two of them together. They were puzzle pieces, one had the word 'Best' engraved into it, while the other had 'Forever' in its polished metal. The missing piece was in the middle, shifted up slightly so all three could equally attach to each other. They had them since Grade School, a gift from Stalla's parents for the three girls so they could always be friends forever.

How it hurt to think that one mistake could rip someone away so quickly.

Eli withdrew her wrist, pulling the bracelet back to her side. Brilliana's hands snaked into her pockets, looking down at the ground. "...Actually, I think we should go home separately after all."

"Eh- But Eli, you're the one..." For a moment, Brill panicked. Did she do something wrong? Did Eli plan to abandon her, just like her Fa-

"I just remembered I... I promised to walk Felicia home..." Her face was tinted pink, embarrassingly looking away from the other girl. For just a moment, Brill stood in stunned silence, before she doubled over laughing.

"Pfft- Eli, you- You're so bad at remembering important things sometimes...! Go, go be with her, go!" She ushered, looking over at the clock. The two had spent at least five minutes goofing off together- The room was already deserted.

"I'm sorry!! I'll make it up to you- I'll buy lunch tomorrow, how's that!" Eliza called, turning around to face Brill one last time. Brill gave a thumbs up, and with a relieved breath, Eli ran off.

"What an idiot.... God, I love her. She's really amazing to be around." Eliza really was a stark contrast to her usual, serious self. It made for a good friendship. Shifting her backpack onto her shoulders, she suddenly felt... Unnerved. Like eyes were peering into her from somewhere. Her head jerked toward the window, but nobody stood there. "Is someone there?"

The only thing that met her was silence. She was just being paranoid. "I'd better get home... God, I better finish my homework. I know Eli won't, so she'll want to copy off of me." Not once did her mind drift to the feeling of dread that flooded her stomach that day. The same feeling she felt on the day Stalla entered the forest.

She took a different route home that day, not wanting to run into Eli and Felicia and potentially ruin their walk. Plus, she just... Didn't want to see the forest. That little girl within had really gotten to her. She'd have to remind herself to check the news for any reports of a missing girl. As she approached her house and slipped the key into the lock, she stumbled backward, an abrupt giggle filling her head. "Come and get them~"

Her bag dropped off her shoulders, and as if on cue, Felicia came frantically running up to her. "Brilliana- Brilliana!" She gasped out, gripping her shoulders tightly, sinking her faux nails in.

"Felicia, what's wrong? Please, calm down." She moved her own hands to gently help support the panicked girl before her. "Where's Eliza?"

"That's the thing- Eliza- She- She's-"

"She's what? Is she in trouble?"

_"She's in the Crimson Woods!!"_


	2. Bloodied Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Her last friend lost to the confines of the scarlet trees, Brilliana finds herself in a panic. After hearing everything from Felicia, she takes off and finds herself making a grave mistake.

Suddenly, the sense of dread she felt made sense. The voice whispering into her ear... It was luring her toward the crimson woods as well, beckoning her in to come and try to save her friends. Eli was all she had. "F- Felicia, tell me exactly what happened. Don't miss a detail." Her grip on Felicia had to be tight, especially since the girl flinched. Forcing her hands away, she looked down at her stark white knuckles. She must look like a ghost right now, the color drained completely from her face.

"Okay- So, so I suggested we stop by the park on our way to my house, because I wanted to get to know her a little bit more before our da- "She cleared her throat, "Date tonight. While we were sitting on the swings looking at the forest across from us, she jumped up and shouted out Stalla's name- The name of the girl that went missing. You guys were her friends, right? I. I remember the police calling you both in... But- But anyway, I told her not to go- It was dangerous and I'd never see her again! But it was like I didn't exist in that moment. All that mattered was... Whatever vision that wretched place was showing her. I didn't know what to do, I was so scared, I went after her at first but then she was gone! Brill, please, help me!"

It didn't take another word to get her running. She couldn't lose Eli- Not like she lost Stalla. She wasn't even thinking about her actions, running straight into the deadly forest that hummed and beckoned for its' next easy meal to enter. She could hear Felicia calling after her, but everything in that moment didn't matter. All that mattered was that her last friend had disappeared, and she wasn't going to let this one slip away like she did Stalla.

She didn't even think twice as her foot slipped past the invisible barrier the woods seemed to have, falling into a world unlike any she ever expected to see.

The sky was dyed a deep red, with the sun replaced by a dark orb that emitted a low light, giving the wood around her an unsettling shadow. The blood-red oak surrounded her on all sides, and even as she tried stepping back into her old world that she was familiar with, all she did was stumble backwards onto the brown grass. Whatever had brought her into this place was gone now, despite being there mere seconds ago when she had entered.

\--

A soft giggle enveloped her mind, and A figure watched the girl frantically look around in panic. Upon finding nothing though, she just continued on, unable to notice the shadow that had its eyes glued to her. Finally, it had her in its clutches. The one it had been waiting for this entire time. But first, it would let her... 'meet' the inhabitants. It was sure those boys could have loads of fun with this one, after all. Break her in for it. Hell, they could even make its job easier if they just went ahead and killed her.

A dark figure watched from a branch, twirling a bracelet around its shadowy figure. "Now, Haven of Light... How will you react to them, I wonder...? This will be an interesting show for sure."

\--

Her light footfalls were hesitant, barely ruffling the rotten leaves that scattered the floor. She didn't know what could lurk here, all she wanted was to find her friend and get out of here. Part of her wanted to be hopeful- Maybe she could find Eli and Stalla both and get them out, so the three could be reunited once again, but Brilliana had to be realistic. It'd be a miracle if any of them made it out alive. Looking up at the blood-filtered sky, all she wanted to do was sob. Why did any of them have to set foot in here? For years the group had been fine, undisturbed by the vile place that haunted peoples' dreams at night. So why did all three of them have to be dragged into a mess like this? Would she ever see her mother again...? On top of it all, her mind was still trying to come up with a rational solution to all of this. There was no rational solution! The only answer was that this placed was damned to Hell!

She slammed her fist into a nearby tree. "Damn it...! Eliza, where are you...? Hell, where am I...? Stalla...Is... Is anyone even here, or am I... All alone again...?" Her arms wrapped around her trembling form tightly, trying to keep her breathing under control. She couldn't panic right now. It was her choice to run in after Eliza, and she had to search for her until the bitter end.

She forced herself forward one step at a time, keeping her eyes peeled for any signs of moment beside her own. The slightest rustle here could mean certain death for all she knew. "Just one step at a time, Brilliana. That's all you can do for now. You'll find Eli, and hopefully Stalla, and on top of that you'll find a way out! You're smart, you've studied for years, you can handle this, it's no problem!"

She tried to encourage herself with empty words, but all they seemed to do was drag her back down. As she continued on, the soft sound of a sweet lullaby filled the silence around the girl, enveloping Brill in its soft melody. "It's so... Soothing..."

She changed courses to follow the soft notes, memories of a stormy night beginning to fill her mind.

\--

Thunder blared it loud drums outside her window, the little girl cowering helplessly under her bed. Her Mother wasn't home- Didn't she promise she'd be home by now? The young girl didn't understand. Did she leave her like Papa? Leave her all alone to fend for herself during this scary, loud storm?

She wasn't used to storms like this. Ones that seemed to make the house shake and shatter the windows. She sobbed loudly, hugging her stuffed cat close to her heart. It didn't help her feel any better. It was even worse when she heard approaching footsteps.

Her cries grew louder, and she shrank further under her bed. While it could be her mommy, what if it was someone that wanted to hurt her? All she wanted right now was someone to hold and comfort her. "Baby? Baby, it's me, it's Mommy."

Her familiar, soothing voice soon filled the room, with which a soft candle light filtered through the darkness. "The power's out, please come out Brilliana. It'll be okay."

Without a moment's hesitation, Brilliana crawled her way out from under the bed and threw her arms tightly around her mother, sobbing into her pencil skirt. Her Mother's soft hand landed lightly on her brown locks, gently petting the girl as she cried. "I'm so sorry sweetheart, you must have been so scared on your own."

She didn't say a word, but instead frantically nodded. Mother pulled her up into her arms, holding her carefully as she set down the candle next to a chair. She sat down, and shifted Brill into her lap. "The reason I was so late was because I was getting you something, I'm sorry it took so long..."

Reaching into her purse, she pulled out a small, slender box. It wasn't big at all, it fit easily in the palm of her Mom's hand. However, when she opened it, a soft melody filled the thunderous roars around them. Lightly playing was a tune she's drifted off to sleep to more times than she could count- The notes of her Mother's lovely lullaby. "This way you can always have a piece of you with me, even if I'm not here to comfort you on days like this."

"Mama...." Brilliana sniffled, rubbing one of her eyes. "Thank you, Mama...!! I love you!"

"I love you too, baby."

\--

Memories of the past ran rampant as she followed the familiar tune blindly. That music box- It had gone missing years ago, thought to be lost forever. Brilliana had torn up the entire house looking for it, while her Mom watched with a cup of tea waiting for her daughter. She had never been so crushed in her life. She loved that music box with all her heart, but she had lost it. She didn't even remember moving it off her nightstand.

Now that music was in this place, a melody that Brill always longed to hear once again. She burst through the onslaught of branches that tried to block her path, and found herself face-to-face with... What seemed to be a carnival. "Eh? A carnival in the middle of the woods?"

Honestly, considering where she was she shouldn't be that surprised. Proceeding forward with caution, she let her eyes wander the area. There was a Ferris Wheel, set up in a way that made it seem nearly impossible to ride, as well as a pitched-up tent, flashing lights streaming through its light fabric. "Come one, come all! The show is about to start!"

Harsh hands landed on her shoulders, the voice coming from directly behind her as it announced their show. "Don't you want to see it, little lady? I'm sure you'd have quite a blast! After all, a break from the bleeding wood around you would be nice, wouldn't it?"

The voice was deep, their breath right against her ear as they tried to tempt her in with their sultry voice. She finally whipped away from the one who held her shoulders, turning around to face her sudden companion. It was a tall male, grinning ear to ear as he watched her with curious eyes. He had on a deep red ringmaster's uniform, placing a hand over his chest as he gave a small bow. Brill noted that the color matched the rest of the woods. Looking closer, he seemed to have a blue diamond painted on his cheek, as well as sewn into the back of his gloves. His ruffled cobalt locks fell into his eyes momentarily, only to be pushed back by his gloved hand. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Madame Brilliana."

"Ah, I... Wait- "Her blood ran cold. "What? How did you know my name? And what do you mean 'finally'?!" She questioned, stepping away from the intimidating man before her. His smile only seemed to grow at the questions.

"Oh, you see... My companions and I have been waiting quite some time for your arrival... And now you've finally come... Oh, I like that look of horror on your face, it looks quite amusing." He reached toward her, and the girl immediately took off in the opposite direction. Right toward the Ferris Wheel. "Ah... What a shame. I suppose Lapio was right about how it'd go down... Oh well, it only makes it more fun for me. I'll catch you, my dear Reine." He hummed, slowly following after the retreating figure.


	3. Cursed Carnival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Having met this new suspicious figure, Brilliana decided it was best to take off in a run. He pursues, and the two end up in a bit of a stalemate that leads to Brill watching a performance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Important note: This chapter will start the gore/horror aspect of this. There will be blood, and while this chapter itself isn't so bad, be prepared for it in the future.

Brilliana's feet ached from all the walking, but at this point she had to run. She could take a break when she was safe. The question is, when WOULD she be safe in a place like this? Looking around at her surroundings, she decided the best course of action would be the Ferris Wheel. It didn't look safe, but she didn't trust the man behind her. She forced her way into the attraction's area, trying to think fast.

The ride itself looked incredibly unstable, the metal rusted away to practically nothing. When she was starting to reconsider, she heard him call out. "Madame, please get away from there, it's far too dangerous for someone such as yourself!"

That was all the motivation she needed. Without thinking, she yanked the ride manager's lever, which brought the ride to life. Before it could move on her, she threw herself into one of the baskets, letting the ride slowly bring her up just as the ringmaster approached.

"Oh dear, whatever shall I do now..." She peered over the side at him, frowning as he continued to grin up at her, his hand placed on the lever. "You're being so naughty, Madame. Perhaps you should spend some time up there after all." He yanked the lever back, breaking the old bar off and bringing the ride to a complete stop.

The basket she was in rattled at the sudden halt, leaving Brilliana at the very top of the ride. Even this high up, she couldn't see over the trees, leaving her stranded in the air, too high up to jump down, and too far down to see anywhere else. "Of course," He called, watching her. "If you wish to come down and see the show, I'm always willing to help out a maiden in need!"

"Oh, fuck off!" She shouted back, uneasily looking around the old ride. Then, it shifted.

"Oh my, I wonder how long that basket of yours will handle the weight.. It doesn't look like it'll last long, don't you agree?" Her breath hitched, and she moved to check the bolts holding her container.

He was right. The rusted bolts seemed to be slipping out of their spots due to the years of neglect. At this rate, she'd fall... And she didn't want to know what would happen then. "Now then, are you willing to negotiate with me, Madame?"

Damn it. She trapped herself, which, she suspected is exactly what he wanted to happen. "...I don't have much of a choice, do I now?" She retorted, glaring down at him. She thought she saw his eyes glimmer with mischief.

"Quite right, you don't. Now then, here's what I want to happen. I'll help you down from there, and all you have to do in return is come to my show." He jumped up onto the control box, crossing one leg over the other. "It's an even trade. I save your life, and you see my life's work. In fact, I'd even say you're getting the better half of the deal here! Perhaps I should add something more in my favor.."

"No! No, I'll take the deal, I'll watch your show!" His grin seemed to grow even wider, which Brilliana thought was impossible. Looking down, she thought she saw a pair of pointed teeth among the otherwise normal rows, but she shook it off. That wasn't possible- Then again, none of this should've been possible. "So, how are you planning on getting me down?"

"Oh, that's easy!" He hummed, jumping to his feet. He moved to grip the crumbling metal, and with ease, he made his way up the ride. Brilliana however, was having a heart attack just watching him. He was going to get them both killed at this rate!

The ride shook and creaked under the extra weight, all the baskets shaking rapidly. One even fell off, crashing into the ground and shattering as if it were made of glass instead of metal. "Please hurry!" She hurried, turning her attention back to the psychotic person climbing up the ride. Except he was nowhere to be found.

"Boo!" A voice shouted right behind her, before a pair of arms wrapped themselves tightly around her waist. Brilliana screamed, instinctively trying to scramble away. "Hey- Quit it, the bolts--!"

The bolts finally slipped out of place, and sent the heavy basket crashing down. Just in time, the ringmaster gripped a solid bar, continuing to hold the girl with one arm as it hit the ground, even rougher than the other one. "Phew, that was close!" He gasped, tightening his grip. "You would've been roadkill! Except there's no road so... Ground kill? Either way, I'm glad you're okay, Madame."

"Yeah- Just- Please- Ground- Now- "She stammered out, her legs swinging under her.

"It'd be easier if you'd stop kicking, Madame Brilliana." He muttered. "Here, hold on a moment. Literally, hold onto me." She didn't need to be told twice. She twisted in his grip, so she could wrap her arms around him. He let go of her for a moment and used that hand to shift her onto his back.

"There, now I can use both hands to climb down and you'll still be safe. Just don't let go." The playful tone the ringmaster had throughout all of this was gone.

"Okay, no need to tell me twice! I don't think I'll ever go on anything high up again after this..." He rolled his eyes, and finally began his descent down the ride.

"...Hey, you know my name, so I should know yours, right? It's only fair." He faintly chuckled.

"Oh Madame, I don't think you understand. I haven't told you my name because my name is not important information for you. You have no need for that knowledge."

"Yes, I do! I want to know what to call you!"

"Simply call me 'The Ringmaster.'"

"Not good enough. Tell me your name or I'll let go."

"You wouldn't dare." Her grip loosened around him, and he grunted as he moved a hand to grip her own. "Okay, fine. My name is Almas. Almas the Ringmaster." Satisfied, she retightened her grip on him.

"There, was that so hard, Almas?" A dark look crossed over his face, and he suddenly ripped her arms off of him, holding her up by her shirt, leaving her dangling halfway down the ride.

"Madame, I may have been forced to reveal my name, but you are NOT permitted to ever utter it. This should teach you A lesson..." He sneered cruelly at the girl, while his gloved hand let go of the fabric of Brilliana's shirt, leaving her to plummet toward the sharp metal and hard earth below.

Brilliana didn't even have the chance to scream before she impacted the ground.

\--

She let out a soft groan of pain, her eyes slowly fluttering open. What happened... One second, she was falling, now where was she? And... How was she alive? The fall should have killed her, especially with all those rusty, broken shards of metal.

Her back was in harsh pain, and she could feel multiple lacerations shielded under the fabric she wore. "Wait- Shouldn't that be torn up? I can definitely feel the wounds, so what the hell..." She moved a hand to rub her eyes.

However, she couldn't lift her hands. This made her mind rip away from the pain that distracted her, and she finally paid attention to her surroundings and situations. She was inside the tent. The center was pitch black, while Brilliana sat in a special, slightly elevated seat in the front row, usually reserved for special guests. Her wrists were tied down to the chair, and while they seemed loose enough, she was too confused at the moment to attempt anything.

Looking down at her clothing, her casual t-shirt and shorts had been replaced with an elegant looking gown, shrouded with traces of gold that subtly coated the white fabric. That explained why she didn't feel any holes in her clothing. "Wait a minute, did he undress me? I'll kill him!"

"Ah, Madame! You've finally awoken! Please don't worry, someone else took care of your clothing and treating your injuries. I suppose you could call her A... Servant of mine, in a way...? But don't worry, you'll meet her soon! She's in tonight's show!" The voice echoed in the tent, and Brilliana turned her attention back to the darkened center. "Now then... Shall we begin? It will certainly be quite the show, I know you'll love it... My Reine."

A spotlight turned on, focusing on the man she now knew as Almas. "Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to tonight's special show! We won't take up too much of your time, I promise. Now then, let's start with the trapeze artist, shall we? Look up!"

Another light flashed on, focusing in the air. Brilliana looked absolutely horrified. The trapeze artist was chained to her area by an extended chain, her hands shaking horribly. The bars she was meant to swing from were littered with glass poking out of the metal, and underneath her was a grinder, just waiting for its victim to fall into its clutches. "No..."

At first, the girl backed away, her entire form trembling in pure fear, but something whizzed right past her head. "I said, 'Lets start with the trapeze artist.' Do your job." Almas hissed, a shining muzzle disappearing behind his back.

'How did that not take the tent down??' Brill wasn't left to wonder long though. Almas had worked his way up to be next to the girl, gripping her wrists in a vice-like grip. The poor girl was forced to grab onto the shard-engraved bar. Then, Almas pushed her forward, but a scream never left her mouth. Brilliana couldn't see why- If she were her, she'd be screaming her lungs out.

The girl tried to let go of the bar to move onto the next one, but one of her hands was literally jammed in place by the glass, which left her stranded by that single shard as she reached for the next bar. Brilliana didn't even see her mouth open, but one look at her let her know just how much pain she was in.

Almas merely sighed, moving down the ladder and over to flick the grinder on. "What a shame. I was hoping to give our guests a better first act, but... Oh well. This is the fun part, anyway."

The girl tugged on her trapped hand rapidly, trying to get it unstuck. She attempted to grip with her other hand, but the bar was slick with the blood she had lost- She couldn't get a good grip. The glass however, budged from the bar itself, and finally, the girl forced her mouth open and let out a starling screech. "Ooh, now this IS getting interesting! You managed to feel so much pain that you forced open the stitches!"

"Oh my god- You- You sewed her mouth shut?!"

"HELP ME! PLEASE!! IT HURTS, IT HURTS SO BAD!" The girl's voice was shrill and high-pitched, coated in pure pain. She didn't have to scream long though, because the glass finally managed to dislodge itself, sending the surprised girl straight down into the waiting grinder.

Brilliana screwed her eyes shut, flinching at the horrid noises that filled the room. Screams overshadowing the sound of the gears turning, the crunch of bone as it was forced through a tight spot, and the sound of liquid, slowly being deposited... Somewhere.

Brill didn't dare open her eyes until she heard the grinder finally come to a halt, reluctantly opening her eyes to view the aftermath. The gears within were dyed crimson, but Brill couldn't see where the liquid that had once been a human had gone. Brill didn't think she wanted to know, honestly.

"Well, that was certainly entertaining, wasn't it, Madame?" Almas pulled the lone chain out of the grinder and turned his eccentric gaze back over toward the female attached to the chair. "How would you like to see more? I just got this lovely new girl in, and I'd love to force her to walk a barbed-wire tightrope!"

"No! No more! Nonononono- Please no more!" She shrieked, shaking her head furiously.

"Aw, but you promised to watch my show if I got you down!"

"And how exactly did you get me down, huh?! I owe you nothing after that!" She yanked on her restrained limbs furiously, writhing and screaming. "Let me go!"

"... Let you go? Brilliana, I don't think you quite understand your predicament." His voice was low, giving off a threatening vibe to Brill. "You're in -my- territory... We may have been waiting for you, but I got you first. You're not going anywh-"

After her frantic struggling, she felt the binds holding her snap. "What..." Almas seemed confused- Confused and very, very unhappy. Brilliana didn't stick around to see what he'd do next, immediately jumping to her feet and running for the exit.

"No, damn it... Madame! Brilliana! Don't go!" He went after her, fury shining in his eyes. He thought for sure the bonds would be strong enough to hold her! He never should have underestimated her... Or maybe he over-estimated the bindings. They were rather old...

Brilliana didn't care where she'd end up at this point, all she wanted to do was run away as quickly as her feet would carry her. As much as she didn't want to enter the woods again, she was surrounded by them, leaving her with that as her only option. She heard Almas's faint calls to her, and that only inspired her more to keep moving. He was closing in on her, his hand reaching out to grab the dress flowing behind her. However, before Almas could lay a single finger on her, she was gone, disappearing back into the darkened forest.

"...Oh, Madame... How foolish of you." He whispered, crossing his arms. "But this is exactly how it was predicted to go... I'll have you again soon, my Reine. For now... Enjoy Klubas."


	4. Chilling Tears

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Having made her escape from Almas, Brilliana manages to find herself in the clutches of another resident of these woods.

Brilliana's footsteps echoed as she continued to hurry off. She didn't want to turn around, she didn't want to risk the chance that Almas was following her. Though, it seemed like the world had a different plan, because Brilliana's foot managed to catch itself on a nearby root, sending the girl crashing into the ground.

She groaned in pain, her back aching. "Damn it, that really irritated my back..." She whimpered, forcing herself into a sitting position. Despite her running and fall, the dress she wore seemed completely untouched, with not a spec of dirt on it. "God, how is this even possible.. I don't understand!" She slammed her fist onto the dirt in anger.

"...Calm down, Brill. You've still got to find your friends. Make sure they're safe after a... Display like that." Then a thought occurred to her. "Oh god, what if one of them was supposed to be in that mad man's show?! I've got to go back- But, I can't, but.. My friends...!" She rested her elbows on her knees and clutched at her head.

"What do I do... I just want to go home. I just want my friends back. I don't want to go through this..." Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes, threatening to spill over. She hasn't felt this scared in a long time. What would she do if she couldn't find Eliza and Stalla? Pulling her hands away from her head, her eyes landed on the bracelet that had 'Best' engraved into it's steel.

"...No, I don't know why but.. I know they're both okay. I can feel it." She forced a smile, and fussed with the bracelet, thinking about the time the girls received them.

\--

"Now remember girls, never lose these. These bracelets are not only a sign of your friendship, it'll keep you safe during dark times." Stalla's mom told the group of children.

"But Mrs. Delhi, what does that mean? A silly bracelet can't protect us!" She chuckled, and reached out to pat Eliza's head, ruffling up her hair.

"You may not think so but trust me. All you'll have to do is look at them when you're afraid, and all your fear will dissipate. That's the power of friendship."

"..Mom, that's really cliché and dumb." Stalla murmured, shaking her head.

"I don't know, I think it's sweet! Thank you, Mrs. Delhi! I'll treasure it forever!"

"That's good, Brilliana. I have a feeling you'll need it more than anyone else.. By the way, how's that brother of yours?"

\--

A short but sweet memory. She liked to think back to it. Now she knew better- It's just a silly little bracelet, but back then Brilliana really took those words to heart. Plus, Mrs. Delhi wasn't wrong- Every time Brill looked at the bracelet, she felt her heart flutter with happiness. Just the thought of the bracelet potentially being a good luck charm made it feel real.

While she was distracted with her bracelet, something slowly creeped toward her, using the shadows to its advantage. Brilliana had no idea what was coming toward her. It let out a shrill snarl, finally catching the girl's attention, then it leapt, pinning the girl under a pair of massive paws.

Brill screamed, her eyes widening in horror and fear. Piercing black eyes stared into her own while the beast shoved it's muzzle into her face, snarling down at her. Needle-sharp claws sank into her shoulders, easily tearing through the skin to keep her held in place.

She wasn't sure how to describe the creature. It had long, tangled fur, and a body the size of a lion. It blended in with the darkness surrounding it and its dark fur, making it nearly impossible to notice beforehand. Its claws felt like they kept sinking into her skin, easily tearing through the pale flesh. If Brilliana didn't do something, this is where her life would end.

"Stop it- Get off of me!" She shrieked, trying to lash out with her feet. The creature looked amused at her struggles, licking its sharp fangs. Think, Brill. Think! With an idea in mind, she fought against the claws in her arms, shouting as loud as she possibly could. A bright light emitted from somewhere close, making the creature hiss as it forced itself away from the girl. Brilliana blinked in surprise- That wasn't her plan, but she wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

She scrambled to her feet and moved to take off. The glowing light had dimmed, reflecting lightly from her friendship bracelet. Had it really come from there? She didn't have time to think about it. She had to keep moving.

The beast was right on her heels, snarling and howling at its meal tried to escape its clutches. "Somebody- Anybody- Please, help me!" She sobbed out. As her arm swung backwards, the beast's sharp fangs latched on, yanking her back by her arm. The pain she felt was unbearable- She could feel the teeth sinking through her flesh like it was butter. It felt like he was going to rip her arm right off.

She could feel herself growing weaker, blood pooling down her arms. Who knew how much she lost while running, or beforehand? She was going to die- There's no doubt about it.

She let herself fall to her knees, her arm still gripped in the animal's jaws. However, just when she thought it was over, she thought she saw a flash of yellow. Her back hit the hard forest floor, but the fangs that had been attached to her seemed to disappear. All she could remember as she lost consciousness was the feeling of someone lifting her into their arms.

\--

When she woke up, she felt incredibly light-headed. She could barely lift an arm to her head, blearily looking around the room. "Oh, are you awake?"

The voice that spoke to her was soft, and there was the sound of approaching footsteps. A hand gently landed on her own, lifting it up to carefully examine it. Brill flinched at the jolt of pain, and he paused his movements. "Oh, I'm sorry... I know it hurts."

The voice sounded sincerely sympathetic, and Brill finally turned her gaze to look at the speaker. It was another boy- but instead of a ringmaster's uniform like Almas had, he had on a tan suit, with a white undershirt and a matching tie. Looking closer at his eyes, something seemed... Off about them.

His irises were in the shape of a clover- Like a club on a card. His hair was light blonde, while his eyes were an unnatural shade of yellow. He stared down at her, a worried expression on his face. "Miss, are you okay?" He whispered.

"I.. How am I alive.." She whispered. "I thought- I lost so much blood- It was going to eat me..."

He carefully moved to sit down in a chair next to the bed she was laying in, considering how to respond. "...Well, I heard you scream and decided to save you." He stated simply. "You had wounds all across your back too- What happened?"

"Oh, well, I... I ran into another boy- He called himself a ringmaster, and he was insane!" For some reason, this boy stayed silent at the mention of Almas, his expression completely unreadable. "He dropped me off a Ferris Wheel, and made me watch his 'show', if you can even call it that! I just want to go home..."

"... But you are home." He said, cocking his head to the side. "Miss Brilliana... Do you not remember your own home?"

"... I'm sorry, but I'm not one of you-" Again, one of the residents here knew her name, without her even telling. "... How do you guys know my name? This isn't right- None of this makes sense...!"

With a sigh, he stood up, running a hand through his blonde locks. "...I'm sorry, Brilliana. I can't tell you. I know you're curious, but please, don't worry about it right now."

"...Can I at least ask for your name, or are you going to freak out on me like Alm- I mean, the Ringmaster did?"

"...My name? Brilliana, there is a reason you're not meant to say or know our names, you know. Did you consider that?" He sounded irritated- Like the question was a bother to him. "If you must know, my name is Klubas. Don't say it out loud though- Not yet. Call me the Mayor instead. Are you hungry? I'll make you something to eat."

He didn't give her a chance to respond, leaving the room and closing the door behind him. Brilliana watched him go, before forcing herself into a sitting position. Her arms were bandaged all the way up to her shoulders, and her clothes had once again been changed. She was in a short, old-style skirt, and a long-sleeved sweater. Her bracelet continued to hang from her wrist.

"Actually, what happened back there?" She asked herself, lifting her wrist to her face. It seemed like the normal bracelet it had always been, glinting in the dim lighting of the room. "It definitely lit up, but how? It didn't make sense. 'It'll keep you safe in dark times' echoed in her mind. There's no way it protected her. She must have imagined it coming from her bracelet.

She let herself fall against the bed again, letting herself sink into the mattress. What the hell was going on. She had so many questions, and no answers.

A soft knock echoed on the door, and a familiar voice echoed into the room. "Excuse me, mistress? Master Mayor has sent me with a meal for you." It chimed, carefully entering the room.

"Mistress? What..." She sat up to face the girl- And her eyes widened with shock. The tray the girl had been holding fell to the ground with a loud 'clang!', and all the two could do was stare. "..Brilliana?"

"It- It's you- Stalla!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's not as long as the other ones, I needed a chapter of build-up! Next chapter will be better, I promise!


	5. Disappointing Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One of her best friends is alive, and Brilliana managed to find her in this wretched place! She's practically leaping for joy, but Stalla isn't as ecstatic as Brill seems to be. Instead, the two plot to get Brilliana out of there alone, much to her dismay, and enlist the help of a new friend.

Brilliana could barely contain her tears at the sight of her friend. Despite the searing pain, the girl threw herself out of the bed to throw her pale arms around her ebony-skinned companion. "Stalla- Oh, Stalla! You're alive! You're really alive!" She sobbed out. Stalla could barely support Brilliana, grunting as she tried to keep her from falling into the pile of glass and hot food.

Unlike Brilliana's, her brown eyes held no trace of happiness. Instead, horror lingered in her gaze. "Bri, you shouldn't be here." She whispered.

"What? I know that, we all have to get out of here- "

"No! You in particular shouldn't be here! Why are you here, why did you even consider stepping foot in this place?!" Stalla didn't sound happy at all. She sounded -angry- at her friend. "Damn it... Damn it!"

Brilliana watched her with panicked confusion in her gaze, scrambling away from the enraged girl. "Stalla, what do you mean? What's going on? All I did was run in after Eliza and- "

"Oh god damn it, she's in here too?! What a GREAT job we did!" She threw her hands up in frustration. "We had -one job-! 'Keep Brilliana out of the crimson forest' and what do we do? LEAD HER RIGHT INTO THE GODDAMN FOREST!"

"What do you mean 'you had one job'?" Stalla froze, looking as though she just let something important slip.

"Ah... Well, it's not important. Don't worry about it." She muttered, running a hand through her curled black locks. "Bri, we need to get you out of here. It's dangerous for you to be here."

"But Stalla, it's dangerous for you, too! In fact, how are you still alive? How did you get past the circus and Alm-"

A hand immediately clamped over Brill's mouth, Stalla shushing her. "Don't say his name. Don't say the Mayor's either- It'll summon them to you, and they will not be happy. Especially if it's you. In fact, it only works with you. If I were to say them, it would echo uselessly in their heads. I know if you say their names though, not only will it summon them, but I know it does something else and they don't like it. It also allows them to hear the conversation you're having that involves them."

"So, saying Klubas-"

"No!"

"...I'm sorry, what was that about me?" A voice hummed from behind Brill, his eyes gleaming with silent rage. "Brilliana, I thought we discussed not saying my name. What is this mess? Maid, I thought I told you to deliver the food to the maiden, not dump it all over the floor." His voice was monotone, but his anger was evident in how his body responded.

Stalla flinched, immediately looking down. "You know I can't physically hurt you, Maid, but that doesn't mean I won't try." Brill immediately moved to stand in front of her friend, stretching her arms out to shield her.

"Hey, leave her alone! If you try anything, I swear, I will end you -Klubas-!" She hissed. Klubas visibly flinched, before reaching out and grabbing Brill's injured arm, yanking her into his own.

"What the fuck did I say." He sneered, hands sliding up to grip her wrists. However, they didn't make it far once his left hand encountered her bracelet. He visibly flinched, his grip loosening on the girl. The bracelet had a black mark on it from where his skin touched it, and his hand had a growing blister on it. "Damn it- Take that damned thing off!"

"Stop cursing- I thought you were nice! You helped me and took care of me, so why are you acting like this now?!" He seemed to pause, taking a moment to regain his composure.

"Brilliana, you don't understand anything around here, do you? You really do have to be protected... But not by some dumb piece of metal." His eyes glared at the bracelet. "I can protect you- I can keep you safe, here with me. Safe from Almas, safe from Lapio... Lapio would never have to know you're here, and Herz would never be able to get his hands on you either. You'd be safe... And all mine... Mine alone..." His mind drifted off into a fantasy, and Stalla yanked Brilliana away from him.

"Excuse me Master, I apologize for speaking up, but I think you're scaring the mistress." Stalla's voice had no inflection, staying as monotonous as she could make it sound. "I apologize for the mess and will swiftly clean it up. Maybe we should let the mistress explore the town? With an escort, of course." She quickly tacked on the last bit, looking down at her shoes.

Klubas seemed to consider this for a moment, before letting a hand fall onto Stalla's shoulder. "You're right, maid. Have Oliver show her around the town. Her new home. Have him take her to the bakery, since someone so rudely destroyed her lunch." He headed for the exit, glancing back to Brilliana. "If you utter my name again, you will regret it. I will destroy what you love. You know what to call me, so stick to it." He warned, slamming the door behind him.

Once he was gone, Brilliana immediately let herself collapse, tears brimming her eyes. "Stalla- What's going on. He's the second guy who wants to keep me here... All I want is to go home!" With a soft sigh, Stalla dropped to her knees next to Brill, gingerly wrapping her arms around the injured girl.

"I'll get you out of here Brill. You need to forget about me and Eliza and find a way home. We have our bracelets, they can't hurt us. We can survive here- But you can't. I can't tell you why, but you need to trust me."

"But- But they CAN hurt you! They hurt me, and I had my bracelet!"

"Explain what happened." Brill nodded, recounting the events that led up to this point.

"Well I ran into the circus and ended up trapped on top of the Ferris Wheel. Al- The Ringmaster helped me down, until I said his name. Then he dropped me and let me fall onto sharp metal- "

"He didn't directly hurt you by his own hand. He simply let gravity do the work for him."

"But then on the way here! I was attacked by some kind of beast! It managed to sink it's claws into me and tear through my skin until he got closer to my bracelet- "

"...Those creatures are... Not what you think they are." She whispered. "But the bracelet will protect you from any fatal injuries. Don't lose it, okay?"

"But, Stalla... How do you know all of this...?"

"..." She didn't answer, instead helping Brilliana back over to her bed. She checked her injuries to make sure they were stable, and that she was well enough to actually explore the town. "I'll send Oliver up shortly." She whispered. "...Brill. There's a fence surrounding the town. It's like a one-way mirror. You can step inside, but you can't get out. There's a weak point though. You need to convince Oliver to show you the weak point, it's your only chance of escape." Stalla hugged her friend one last time. "...Goodbye, Brilliana. Please... Stay alive."

"Wait, Stalla- Please, don't go! I finally found you, after months, you can't go! Not again!" Stalla didn't listen to her pleas, taking in a shaky breath, before finally exiting the room. The sound of a lock clicking into place echoed, and Brilliana finally allowed the dams to break. "No- No, please, come back... Don't leave me here alone again!" She cried out, her hands clutching at her chest.

Brilliana cried and screamed and begged. All she wanted was to find her friends again, and after finding one of them, she's been completely abandoned once again.

\--

When the door opened again, Brilliana was unconscious, tightly hugging the pillow that had been provided for her. A set of eyes landed on her bracelet, moving forward to lightly stroke the girl's hair. "Oh, Reine... How long we've all waited." Klubas told the sleeping girl. "You've finally made it back to us... We missed you so much." He whispered, leaning down to kiss her forehead. "So much so that now... You will never be able to leave us again. We can't let you get hurt by what's out there." His voice was laced with pain, his eyes glued to the girl below him. "I will protect you. I'll protect you from... Him."

Brill turned in her sleep, a light sigh of sadness escaping from his unconscious love. "My dear, you'll learn to like it here. I promise."

With a bit of reluctance, Klubas moved away from Brilliana, continuing to glance back at her, as if she'd disappear if he looked away for even a moment. He shut the door behind him and shook his head. He'd have to fill in the others, even if he really didn't want to- Especially since Almas had already seen her. "Well, let's get this over with..."

\--

Brill woke up to the feeling of light hands shaking her form. "Hello, Miss Brilliana? Wake up, I'm here to take you on your tour of the town."

The voice that spot was soft-toned, kind of like Klubas's. When she opened her eyes, she peered into a pair of icy blue eyes. Coral bangs fell into his eyes as he looked down at her with a soft smile. "Welcome back to the waking world."

"...Hi..." She grumbled, lightly shoving him away so she could sit up. Rubbing her eyes, she took a minute to stretch all the kinks out of her body. When she was done, Oliver smiled politely at her, holding up a light pair of sandals.

"These aren't very ideal for the forest, but luckily we aren't going out there. May I?" He asked, bending down in front of her.

"Oh, I... Guess so." She replied. With her consent, he took one of her ankles into his hand, carefully slipping on one of the sandals. He repeated the process with the other, then offered her a hand. She took it, and instead of helping her up, his hand actually slid up to her bracelet, gingerly touching the metal. "What is this? Silver?" He wondered.

"Ah, no... I think it's just plain steel." She commented, sounding a bit unsure.

"Hm... No, it can't be steel. Steel is a bit harder to form like this. This has to be sterling silver. May I take it off of you, just for a moment?"

She yanked her hand away, covering the bracelet with her other hand. "Ah, I'd rather you not. This bracelet is very special to me, and I don't want to lose it." His question set off warning alarms in her mind. Why would he even be interested in her bracelet?

"Oh, I see. I'm sorry, it's just- I was a jeweler's son before I ended up here." He explained. "It reminded me of my Father's work, so I just... Wanted to look at it." The word Father made her pause.

"...Okay, look. I'll let you look at it- But I'm going to keep it in my hands." Brill moved to unclasp the bracelet around her wrist, letting it fall into her other hand. Grabbing one end, she spread it out, so Oliver could see it at it's plainest.

His face got close while he looked it over, his eyes searching for something. Seemingly disappointed, he moved away quickly. "...No signature. It might not be my father's work after all..."

Slipping the bracelet back on, Brill cocked her head. "Oh, I'm sorry..." She whispered, sympathy lining her gaze. "You must really miss him."

"...I do. But, come now. I was ordered to take you to the bakery." He helped her up, leading her through a maze of halls. How did anyone keep them in order? Soon enough, the two came to a large wall. Pushing open the doors revealed a small town, with run-down buildings that looked to be thousands of years old. Surrounding the quaint town was a tall, chain-link fence, keeping everyone trapped inside. In the town center, there was also a stage, with red stains coating its tan wood.

"...What the hell is this?"

"Oh, Master didn't explain? This used to be a ghost town. Master took it over, and he's trying to make it back into the bustling little town it once was. We have a bakery, a clothing store, this mansion, and a few others. Come on, I'll show you."

"Wait- Oliver, I... I was told you know where the weak point in the town is." He tensed up, gripping his hands into fists.

"Well... Yes, I do. Master trusts me with that secret." He forced out. "Please, don't ask me where it is. I can't do that to him."

"Oliver, please. I can't stay here. I need to get home. Think about your father- If I get out of here, I can escape and tell him about you! Plus, if I find a way to escape, I can come back to rescue everyone. Please, help me."

"Brilliana..." His hesitance was evident, his eyes rapidly glancing between her and the mansion. "If I get caught, I'll end up as another stain on that stage. Do you really want to live with that fact on your mind?"

"...No, I don't." She whimpered, biting her lip. She hugged herself, sinking her nails into her arms. "I don't want that to happen to anyone, but... But if I just find a way out, I can save people from that fate...! I can help..."

Closing his eyes, Oliver chewed on the inside of his cheek, rocking on his feet. Brill's foot tapped against the ground, her eyes glued to her only chance of escape. "...Okay, Brilliana. You win. Just... Promise me you'll come save these people." He whispered, moving his hands to grip her own. "They don't deserve a life like this. Please- Save them. Save them all."

He didn't hesitate to take off, pulling Brilliana with him. They entered an old house, its floorboards rotting away to nothing. It's back was right against the fence, but there wasn't a single door or window in sight where one should be. "Run into the wall. It's a hallucination set up by Master. It'll let you through the fence, and you'll be free to find a way out."

"...Thank you, Oliver. Thank you so much." She pulled him down to lightly kiss his cheek. "I promise I'll come back for you and the others, too." She moved to pull away, but Oliver gripped her wrist suddenly, fear in his eyes.

"...Brill, is it really so bad to stay here? Master is nice as long as you play nice back. He takes good care of all of us- Not like the others from what I've heard. Are you sure you can't stay?"

"I'm sure. I can't stay, even if I wanted to. Please, let go." Reluctantly, he did, letting his hands latch together behind his back.

"...Goodbye, Brilliana."

"Goodbye, Oliver. I'll be back." With those parting words, Brill ran into the wall, and disappeared from Oliver's sight. Immediately, a look of disgust appeared on his face, and he wiped off his cheek with the back of his hand. In the other, something silver glinted eerily.

"...What a dumbass. That was far too easy." He muttered, holding up the bracelet to the light. "Master will be so proud of me! Mm, I hope master wraps his sweet arms around me~ I love my master..." He felt a delightful shiver run up his spine. "Let's go report back to him!"


	6. Forest of Secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brilliana escapes yet another boy and is back in the forest, alone and sullen. She finds herself climbing a tree and making a wish, and somehow making yet another unexpected friend. The two then continue on to a scary-looking hospital.

Making her escape from the town, Brilliana didn't seem to notice the missing weight from around her wrist. She felt searing pain filling her form and she had to take a moment to rest, leaning against one of the many trees. "God- It hurts so fucking bad..." She whispered to herself. It wasn't just her physical injuries either. Her heart felt like it was torn into pieces as she recalled how she just abandoned Stalla back there.

"Please stay safe Stalla... I'm so scared. I don't want anything to happen to you." She wasn't sure if she entirely trusted the story about the bracelets. Hell, before this she didn't even believe in the supernatural. "Can't I find at least one thing that seems fucking normal around here?!" She screamed, gripping her skirt. Looking down at her hands, she was going to attempt to find comfort in her bracelet. But it was gone.

"...No- Nonononono! How? H- How?! When did- Oliver." She slammed her fist into the trunk of the tree. "God damn it! How could I let myself be fooled like that? He probably just wanted the bracelet the entire time! I'm such an idiot!" She felt absolutely devastated. Oliver had seemed so nice when they first met... Then again, so had Klubas. "...I guess there's two sides of every coin." She whispered, her voice hoarse with grief.

Looking down at the browned grass around her, she allowed herself to finally take in the forest's true form for the first time. At first, it just appeared to be an unnatural land, filled with crimson trees and stained red. This was true, however, the reason for it being dyed this dark red only had one answer. It was dyed red with the blood of their victims. "This forest... It feels like it wasn't always like this." She muttered out-loud, gingerly bending down to pick up a reddened leaf.

She sat on her knees, staring silently at the veins in the plant, as though silently mourning for it. "So why did you change..."

A gust of wind blew around her in response, pulling the leaf out of her hand. She let her eyes follow it, until it was eventually blown out of sight. This forest- it was crying out for help. Help nobody realized it needed. "But what can I do? I'm just a human, I'm doomed to become another one of the bloodstains that cover this place! Why am I... Even trying anymore?"

She just wanted to give up. Maybe if she did that, she could go back to Klubas and at least be protected. Another strong gust of wind blew around her, stirring the debris around her. She lifted her head to follow it with her eyes, while the wind carried it up into one of the trees. "...What? You want me to climb?"

Now she was talking to trees. Maybe she really was going crazy. She doubted it even meant anything, but she had to try. Taking a deep breath, she looked up the tree. The branches weren't too far apart, and it seemed to have quite a few natural places to grab. "...Okay. I can do this."

She kept the motivational thoughts on loop in her head, gripping a low branch on the tree. Sinking her nails into the bark, she yanked herself up onto the branch, grunting softly as she heard a noise fill the air.

Brill waited for a moment to see if it could support her weight, then she moved on, grabbing onto another branch above the first. She rested her foot in a small hole the tree held, and slowly the girl inched her way up the scarlet tree.

She reached out for the final branch, her arms aching and her back sore. Her arm felt like it was on fire- Climbing the tree probably reopened her injuries. Swinging her legs over the branch, she sat down on it. "Okay, I'm up here... But why? Why was I supposed to climb this?" She asked the tree, patting its branch.

"... This is idiotic. Trees don't talk. Trees don't control wind. I climbed up here for nothing." She prepared herself to climb back down, but when she looked up at the sky, she froze. "..."

Despite its red background the stars shone blindingly, glittering above her. She's never seen stars this bright before. "...They're so pretty." This is what she loved doing. She loved staring up at the sky, admiring the stars that space held. "I always wanted to study stars... I was going to be an astronomer. Will I ever get that chance now?"

Asking the stars, talking to trees. What was wrong with her? Everything. "I just... Want to understand. Will I ever understand?"

A shooting star shot by, almost as if it was a response to her question. "...I know it's silly to wish but..." Closing her eyes, she clasped her hands together. "All I wish for is for everything to be okay." She told the star, opening her eyes once again. Peering out into the distance, she thought she saw... A hospital? When she went to put her hands back onto the branch to lean in and get a closer look, there was a loud 'Snap!', and before she knew it Brill was falling out of the towering tree. "...!"

She kept trying to grab the branches as she fell, but with how she was falling it was impossible to get a good grip on anything without it snapping under her weight. Just as she prepared herself to hit the ground, she landed in something... Soft. "Ngh!"

Someone cried out from under her, and when she looked down, Brilliana had been saved by a girl. "Oh my god- I'm sorry, are you okay?" She scrambled to get off her as quickly as she could, sitting on her knees as she worriedly fussed over the other.

"Oh, I'm okay! Don't worry!" Her voice was light, a hint of kindness hiding in her pink irises. Her hair matched her eyes, and her soft pastel pallet stuck out amongst the dark colors of this world. She was wearing a puffy white dress, not a single stain of color to be found on its soft fabric. Despite her spill into the dirt, the dress seemed untouched. Brill took a moment to glance down to her legs and feet. She had a cute vine-like anklet wrapped around her right leg, but no shoes in sight. "How are you, miss? Are -you- all right? You fell out of a tree...!"

"Oh, well... I guess I did, huh?" She muttered, rubbing the back of her pale neck. "Ahaha, um... I think I'm okay?" The girl stood up and gave her a blank look. Brill must have looked much worse than she thought. "...Okay, I'm lying. I think I reopened my wounds when I climbed the tree."

"...Hm, that's what I thought. Stay here, okay? Don't move." She told her, pressing a finger to her lips. "And don't make a sound either. I have to get something!" Before Brill could even ask for her name, she was gone, running off into the woods.

"...?" Well, that was. Odd. Brill wasn't sure what to think of her. She didn't seem like one of the inhabitants of this world, but that hair... She couldn't help but feel a bit suspicious.

Brilliana didn't have to wait long, because soon enough the girl with back with a bunch of... Plants? Seeing her confused face, the girl began to explain. "Oh, these are natural remedies! I actually found them when I explored the forest for the first time." She let out a soft giggle. "They're better than bandages. They're magic! They can heal any wound instantly!"

"...Are you sure? Sorry if I'm a bit hesitant but... The hair, the eyes..."

"Hum? What about my hair- Oh! You must mean the colors! When I got trapped here, I had just dyed my hair, and the pink is just simple contacts! I didn't get trapped in this place all that long ago. It'd probably help if I told you my name though, wouldn't it? My name is Nym!"

Brill wasn't going to trust someone that easily, not after Oliver. "...Well, it's nice to meet you Nym, and I appreciate this but... I'm just not sure..." Nym huffed, crossing her arms with an eye roll.

"I'm sorry, but you don't have much of a choice here. I don't have any bandages, and I really don't wanna watch someone else die... Please let me help you."

Brilliana flinched. She understood those feelings perfectly. "...Fine. But don't try anything funny. I'll be watching." She warned. With a nod, Nym scooted closer to help her out. Carefully peeling away the bandages, Nym looked up curiously at Brill. "...What?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I'm just curious about your name."

"My name? ...I'm Brilliana." She really must not be from here. Everyone else seemed to already know her name.

Tossing the gross bandages aside, Nym tore a large leaf in half, and carefully let its sap drip into the wounds. "It's going to burn at first, until the wounds close. Then it'll be okay. Can you put up with it, just for a little bit?"

Brill hissed at the pain, but grit her teeth, nodding her head rapidly. With her confirmation, Nym continued the harsh treatment. Her hands instinctively balled up into fists, and it took everything she had to keep them firmly planted in her lap. One by one, the injuries from the beast and any pain that came with it disappeared from sight, leaving Brill's light arm with quite a few scars. "Sorry, I can heal the injuries, but nothing I can do about scars. Do you have more injuries? The back of your shirt is stained with blood too... How are you still alive?"

"Determination, I guess... My back is injured, but do we really have to use the leaves?"

"Do you want to die?"

"...No ma'am." She relented, pulling her shirt up so Nym could deal with the final injuries. Nym... Where had she heard that before? A part of it rang a bell, but she couldn't piece it together. She distracted herself with thoughts of the strange girl, and before long, both girls were back on their feet.

"There, you should be all better now. I'm surprised you're not more injured, actually... Have you run into any of those scary boys? All five of them are really frightening..."

"...Five of them? There's five?" She took a moment to think back to the names she's heard slip out of the boy's mouths. Almas, Lapio, Klubas, and Herz right? There was no mention of a fifth.

"Oh, yes! There's five, but well... One isn't exactly linked to the others? I don't think he needs to be your main worry. Odds are you won't even meet him! I just got severely unlucky I guess." She shrugged lightly, before grabbing one of Brill's hands. "Come on! We've got lots to explore!"

"Wait, wh- But-" She didn't agree to this. Ripping her hand away, Brilliana shook her head. "No, I can't. I have a place I want to check out. I thought I saw a hospital off in the distance..." Nym frowned, her eyes darting away toward the ground. She tapped her foot against the grass, tangling her fingers together as she tried to think of a way to reply. Did she not want to go off alone?

"Well... Okay, but... I don't think it's a good idea. I don't think you'll find anything good there." She warned. "Remember what kind of place this has become- " She paused. "That this place is."

"...Nym? What do you mean 'has become'?" Nym picked at her nails, her mouth opening only to close again repeatedly.

"Well... One of the old inhabitants told me. This place used to be beautiful... It wasn't always red and dark. But when the queen passed on, some... Things happened. I didn't get the details, because one of those damned boys showed up and... And..." She didn't finish her sentence, and she didn't need to. Honestly, Brilliana didn't buy a word of it. There was more to Nym than she was telling her.

"I see." She was having a mental conversation with herself about Nym- Trying to figure out just how much she could trust her. "Well... You could come with me to the hospital if you're that worried about it?" She offered, a soft smile on her face. Nym must have had her reasons for lying like she was. Brilliana wanted to trust her more than anything.

"I can?" Relief shone in her pink gaze, and she nodded her head, bouncing on her feet. "I'd love to! I don't want to be alone again- I don't want to leave you alone either. After all, I'm the only one who knows where the special plant is! What if you get hurt really bad?" She puffed out her chest, a confident smile stretched across her cute face.

Brill chuckled, crossing her arms. "Yeah, I guess that's logical. So, let's go? Would you like me to lead the way?"

"Oh, no I've got it!" She offered a hand instead of just grabbing, watching Brill. Brill stretched out her hand but hesitated to grab Nym's. This is a good thing, Brill. You're doing the right thing. Shaking off her fears, she took the smaller girl's hand. Nym nodded her head, and then the two were off.

On the way there, Nym wouldn't stop talking about the plants she raised at home. She was apparently a big gardener and believed that plants were living things that deserved love and affection, just like people and animals. Brill was close to snapping at her at a few points, but by the time she reached her limit, they had arrived at the tall hospital building, the scarlet sun rising off in the distance.

The concrete walls seemed to be crumbling apart, pebbles occasionally rolling down the walls to land at their feet. The hospital signed was switched off, its big red letters blending in with the rest of the world around it. Windows coated the building, but most had the curtains drawn. If the curtains weren't drawn, they were either shattered or had red splotches blocking the view in. "Well... We're here." Nym whispered.

Nym didn't sound too enthused about entering the place, and Brill couldn't blame her. From the outside it looked like a safety hazard, just like everything else in this world. "...I know it doesn't seem fun Nym, but I have to go in. If there's a chance the exit could be there..."

"I know. I understand. I'm right here with you, okay?" She squeezed Brill's hand, and both of them turned to the double doors. The two pushed the doors open and stepped into the lightless building.

When inside, they couldn't see a thing. "Lightswitch- Nym, find a lightswitch!" Brilliana called, breaking away from her to search the walls.

"Ooh, light-switches? That's fun!" A new voice hummed. "Wanna turn it into a game? First one to find it doesn't die!" Brilliana whipped around toward the source of the voice, a feeling of panic settling in the pit of her stomach. She didn't want either of them to die. They'd have to find the light quickly.

Just as she was about to search again, the lights switched on with a soft click. Brilliana glanced over at Nym, but she wasn't anywhere near the switch. Finally, her eyes landed on somebody on the other side of the room, a bright smile on their face. "Ooh, I win, I win! I don't have to die! But I can't say the same for you... Two..." He paused, squinting as his eyes landed on Brilliana for the first time. "...Huh, you seem off. Maybe I'll kill you first! Would you like that? You can become one of my puppies!" He clapped his hands happily.

"Pu- Puppies?" Nym moved a step closer to Brill, her eyes narrowed. "What puppies...?"

"Oh, you haven't run into any of them yet? Huh... I sent them out human hunting not that long ago. They're big and black, with beady black eyes! They're super adorable, especially when they're tearing through a cute, delicious girl like yourself!" He licked his lips, his pitch-black hair lightly shading his bright red eyes.

"So, do you wanna be one? I sure hope so, because you don't have much of a choice! I bet you'd be a really cute pet, on your hands and knees for me~" He purred, winking. Brill nearly choked on the air around her.

"I'm sorry- What? Pervert!" She shouted at him, angrily moving to stomp toward him. He stretched open his arms, welcoming her. When she got closer, she noticed... Something off about his tongue.

"Aw, already coming to your master? Heh, well soon you'll be coming FOR your ma- Oh?" His eyes immediately darted over to Nym, who had stretched an arm out in front of Brill to intercept her. Her hands were in tight fists, her eyes narrowed as she glared at the boy.

"Enough, Herz." She hissed, lightly shoving Brilliana back. "Do you not recognize who she is? You wouldn't dare lay a finger on her."

"Recognize who she is..." He cocked his head, resting his elbow on a desk. "Nope, not a clue! Are you gonna tell me Nymphomine? Oh, or is it a guessing game? Hm, is her name Bella? Or maybe Fran, oh or-"

Vines burst from the stone grounds below, wrapping around unoccupied chairs close to Herz. A furious look was plastered across Nym's face. "You daft idiot! It's Brilliana! It's reine!"

For a moment, Herz actually looked surprised. "Oh? I received a report she was with Klubas... How'd ya escape, girl? So desperate to come see your true master?" He stuck his tongue out at Brill with a flirtatious wink, giving her a good chance to see the tattoo on his tongue. It was in the shape of a heart, the bright red filling contrasting against his dull pink tongue.

"Nym, what's going on? What..."

"You know Brilliana, I'm surprised. I didn't think you'd be the type to hang out with traitorous dryads... Right, Nymphomine?"


	7. Bleeding Hearts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brilliana just discovered that Nymphomine isn't who she said she is, and this infuriates the girl to no end. Nym and Herz end up fighting, with no real victor.

Traitorous dryad...? Brilliana's eyes darted back over to Nym, confusion shining brightly in her eyes. "Nym...? What's he talking about?"

Nym grit her teeth, waving her hand so the vines would surround Herz. "I'm not traitorous! I didn't mean for it to happen... If anything, you and the others are the traitors!" She shouted, slamming her foot on the ground. It split open, foliage shooting out of the new crack.

"Ooh? Then why are you so worked up, honey?" Herz asked, clasping his hands together behind his back. "You're acting like someone with a guilty conscious! Should I tell Brilliana the truuuuth~? I'm sure she's dying to know!" Herz easily slipped through the vines that attempted to trap him in, snaking his way behind Brilliana and wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

Brill tensed up, looking to Nym pleadingly. "What's going on? Someone, tell me damn it!" She cried out, shoving Herz's arm off of her. "Nym, you seemed like a nice person- What the hell are you? Why did you lie to me?!"

"...Brilliana... I'm sorry. I couldn't tell you the truth. You wouldn't trust me if I admitted to being an inhabitant, would you?" She scoffed.

"Which brings me to my next question, sweetheart." Herz started, his voice low. "How did you escape the prison -he- made for you? All the dryads were supposed to be confined to their trees for the rest of their miserable existences."

"...Brilliana made a wish. I led her up into the branches of my tree, and she wished for everything to be okay."

"But- But what does that have to do with you?" Brill wondered, unsure what to believe at this point.

"...That's the thing. I'm not too sure myself. I just wanted to be close to you again, but that wish you made... It broke the spell trapping me in my tree. It must mean I'm supposed to help you make things okay again." Nym declared. "...Starting with these boys. I will destroy them if it means you can be happy."

"Wait- Destroy them?! Nym, that's not what I-"

"Shut up!" She shouted, using her wriggling vines to slam Brill against the wall. "I'm going to help you! I'm going to make things better! I'm going to fix this land!"

Brill gasped as the air was knocked out of her body, her back pressed tightly against the crumbling white wall. "Nh- Nym," She choked out her name, weakly reaching for the girl.

"Ooh, this'll be a fun game. I thought we needed each other, Nymphomine? Do you not enjoy the offerings I give to you?"

Nym looked absolutely disgusted, spitting on the ground. "Offerings?! You flood our roots with the blood of your victims! We were pure- The only pure things left in this forsaken place, and you boys ruined it!"

"Ruined? I don't know, I think pink is a pretty color for you! Much better than that boring all-white look you had going before." Herz reached into his doctor's jacket, pulling a scalpel out of it and balancing it on the tip of his finger. "But since you seem adamant on this whole 'revenge' thing, the least I can do is defend myself. We all know who's going to win- After all. You're just a pretty little plant... And you know what I do to those vile, disgusting plants of yours." He hissed, slicing through a nearby vine with that tiny, sharpened blade.

Nym visibly flinched, a gasp escaping her mouth. "Nh- Damn it... I'll kill you, Herz! I'll kill you!" She raised her arms, and more vines sprouted up, wrapping around each other. The tip of the vines met together, twisting until it was a sharp tip. Then, she sent them barreling toward Herz, aiming for his chest. Herz darted out of the way, sprawling onto the floor. The vines followed, and he flipped himself over, slicing at them with the shining scalpel.

He cut the tip of the vines off, but Nym was ready for that. Another vine was sneaking up behind him, before rapidly wrapping itself around his neck. She lifted him off the ground with it, his scalpel falling uselessly to the ground beside him. "I thought you were smarter than this, Herz. Don't you know a distraction when you see one?"

"Ghk- Let- Let.. Go-" He choked, her hands yanking violently at the vine that was robbing him of his precious oxygen.

"Let go? No. You live off blood and kill people for fun. Why would I ever let you go? Just suffocate and die. Then nobody else from the human world has to die here. Once you and your blood-sucking brothers are gone, things can be normal again!"

"No..Not, tru- Ghhkph-" The vine tightened its grip, and she slammed him against the wall multiple times. Brilliana could only watch, horror and sadness in her gaze.

The end of Nym's dress was changing, a dark red flooding the white fabric. "You will die here, Herz. I'll make sure to tell the others how much you squirmed and writhed as I kill them too." Her pastel eyes were dark red, and a dark smile was stretched across her beautiful face.

"No... No!" Brilliana shrieked. A violent light flooded the room while she shouted at the two. "Stop it! STOP!"

The vines retracted at the sudden light, Nym moving her hands to shield her eyes. Herz crumpled to the ground, his hand clutching at his throat as he took in deep gasps of air. He closed his eyes tightly at the burning brightness, hissing in pain. Nym collapsed to her knees, dazed and confused. While the two were distracted, Brilliana scrambled to her feet after being released from the vines. She immediately headed over to grab the scalpel, gripping it to her chest. "No more fighting!" She shouted at the two.

Now that she was free, and things seemed to be calming down, the light slowly dissipated, rendering the room back to its normal state from before. Nym and Herz slowly peeled open their eyes once again, their eyes landing on the girl that stood between them. "You two are NOT going to kill each other! Nobody else has to die here!"

"But- But Brilliana! He's killed dozens of thousands of people and turned them into monsters! He more than anyone deserves to perish!" Nym complained, glaring at Brilliana.

"I said no, Nym! Look what it's doing to you! Your eyes- Your dress! They're starting to turn blood red, you idiot!"

Nym paused, looking down at the dress. It now held a vivid spark of deep red, made by her burning desire to kill. "...This place... It really is continuing to poison me..." She let her head hang limply, her arms falling to her sides. "...I'm sorry, my Reine... I'm so sorry..."

"...Quit calling me that. I'm not this 'Reine'. My name is Brilliana. I don't understand why everyone keeps calling me 'Reine', what's so special about it?"

Herz moved into a sitting position, cocking his head to the side. "You don't know what it means?" He mumbled, looking lost in thought. "...Brilliana, why did you save me?" He wondered. His playful expression had disappeared, replaced with a genuine look of pure puzzlement. "You know I've killed. Those beasts out there? They're killing too. They're the monsters -I- made, and you know this... So why save a soul like mine?"

"...I think everyone can be saved. I feel like something bad happened to make you this way."

"No, you're wrong. Even if the world wasn't always like this, my friends and I have always drunk blood. We aren't 'vampires', as humans would call us, but we aren't mortal either. We can breathe and be killed, we just... Eat a different way. A way that involves slaughtering people. We aren't good people, Brilliana. You should've just let her kill me." He muttered, looking down.

Brill carefully approached him, letting a hand rest on his cheek as she bent down to his level. "Do you really have to kill for your nutrients? Isn't there another way? I know you can be good. I can feel it."

"...A good person wouldn't do what I'm about to do." He whispered, moving a hand to grip her wrist. Reaching toward a desk next to him, he yanked a syringe out of the drawer, stabbing it into Brill's neck before she could react. "...A good person wouldn't do this to someone as sweet as you are. Now, sleep, my angel." He whispered, injecting the foggy liquid within the syringe into Brilliana's blood stream.

Brilliana's eyes fluttered as she tried to force herself to stay awake. "Wh... Why..." She whimpered. The final feeling that Herz could see in her gaze was pain, before her eyes finally shut and her body went limp in his arms.

"...Brilliana." He whispered her name, gingerly brushing her bangs out of her face. "...I'll protect you." He laid her down on the floor and turned himself toward Nym. "Now, how to deal with you..."

\--

When Brilliana woke up, she found herself lying in a small, white room. A broken TV sat attached to the wall, electric sparks occasionally coming off the cut wires within. Pictures of various body parts also aligned the wall, showing the inside of the body and organs. The only window in the room had its curtains drawn, shrouding her in darkness. She moved to sit up and stretch her body, but she couldn't even lift her head.

Tight straps kept her held down to the bed, and despite her best efforts to break them, these ones were far too solid to snap. "Hey! Damn it...!" She tried so hard to trust him- She really wanted to believe there was someone good inside the boys she's met so far... But damn did they make it difficult.

A door opened, and the light flicked on. Herz stood there, a cocky grin on his face. "Oh, beautiful! You're awake." He hummed, closing the door behind him.

"Herz, why?" Herz froze as she said his name, but he quickly shook it off.

"...Interesting... Nothing happened." He mumbled to himself. "Ah- That's right! You don't have your bracelet, do you? That's why I didn't have to struggle to get the syringe into you! Haha, that's wonderful! If that's the case, I can just have you say their names and summon them here! This makes it easier for me."

He took a seat on the bed, reaching to stroke Brill's cheek. She flinched but couldn't pull away due to her bindings. "Come on honey, say their names for me? I'll give you a niiiice reward for being such a good girl if you do~!"

"No! Fuck off!" She spat out at him. "I'm not summoning anyone!"

"...Oh? Love, I don't want to hurt you... But if you don't do as I say, I don't mind taking off a limb or two..."

"Threaten me all you'd like, I'm not saying their names!" She huffed, glaring into his red eyes. "Just try and make me!"

His grin only grew at her words. "Ooh, so we're turning this into a game? I'm fine with that! Besides... I have the advantage." He turned to the broken TV, humming lightly as he blocked Brill's view of it for a bit. His hands moved and toyed with the electronic, and before long it somehow looked brand new.

He grabbed the remote off a nightstand next to her bed and turned on the TV. It flickered to life, and Brill let out a wail at the sight on the screen.

Nym was strapped down to a table in a similar matter to Brill, but she had a few... Missing features. The girl's eyes sat over on a bloodied surgeons table, which was filled to the brim with rusty, blood-covered tools. Nym's sockets were left alone to bleed, a gag stuffed into her mouth to keep her from sobbing out.

"Isn't this a wonderful -sight-?" He chuckled. "If you just say their names, I don't have to hurt her anymore! I can just let her happily go back to her life as a tree... You know. You probably never should've met her- This wouldn't have happened if it weren't for you, pumpkin."

"No... Nym- Nym!" She sobbed, writhing against the harsh bonds. "How dare you! How -could- you! I saved your life, and this is how you repay me?!"

"Now now, don't break my heart baby," He pouted. "I'm sparing your life since you saved mine! It's an even trade! Nymphomine however- She tried to kill me. She dared to make you watch. She shouldn't be allowed to live. I really just wanna cut her up until she's nothing but a bloody pulp." He sneered at the screen, slamming his fist into the wall. "...But I knew my baby wouldn't want that. I held back for you!" He leaned down, their noses touching. "So come on... Repay the favor? All you must do is say their disgusting little names... It's easy! Just repeat after me~!"

"...Let her go... She didn't do anything, just let her go..." She whimpered, sniffling as tears threatened to fall down her cheeks. "...I'll say them, okay? You win..."

"Great! Now, should we start with Almas? Or maybe Klubas? Oh, but there's also Lapio... Hmm.."

"Hold on- release her first. I want to see her released on camera. I don't trust you." Herz arched an eyebrow at this request.

"But how do I know I can trust you, hm?"

"You have me strapped down and restrained, there's not much I can do. You could make me say them even if you released her."

"...I suppose you're right. Fine." Hitting a button, a girl frantically rushed in. She had a nurses cap sewn into her head, and glasses that seemed to be glued to her face.

"Y-Yes, doctor? What may I d-do for you?" She stammered, bowing lightly.

"Go release the girl in room 301. Make sure she is escorted out of the hospital and lock the doors behind her." He ordered. "If you don't do it correctly, I'll take your tongue for your idiocy."

The poor girl squeaked, nodding quickly as she stumbled out of the room, tripping on her way out. Brilliana felt awful for her- Nobody deserved to be treated like that. "You're a monster."

"Hm? Oh, please. She's one of the lucky ones! If she wasn't so pretty, she would've been killed just like all the others." Gently stroking Brilliana's hair, he laughed. "What, do you want to be one of my nurses too? I can arrange that~"

"Fuck no!" She hissed, gritting her teeth. Herz shrugged, before turning his attention back to the screen.

"Ooh, look, there she goes!" He pointed, making Brill turn her head back to the screen. He was right- The nurse had quickly made her way to the room that held Nym, and carefully helped her out of the bed, even providing her with bandages for her bleeding eye sockets. Slowly, the two left the room, and Herz let the TV flicker off.

"Well? There's my end of the bargain upheld. Now for yours. Almas, Klubas, and Lapio. Say them."

"...Fine..." Closing her eyes, she mentally prepared herself for the upcoming onslaught. "A- Almas,"

The ringmaster appeared before them, looking quite confused for a minute. His face was stained with blood, and he had a body held within his hands. "Hm?" He wondered, turning his attention toward Herz. Once he noticed him, the body quickly became obsolete to him, and his eyes lit up at the sight of Brill. "Oh, madame Brilliana! It's wonderful to see you again!" He grinned.

"Now the next name."

"...I- I don't want to-"

"Say it." He gripped her arm, squeezing down on the tender skin. Brilliana winced.

"Klubas- Klubas-" She repeated his name twice, hoping it would get Herz to let go. Klubas appeared before the trio as well, barely glancing over at the group.

"I figured it wouldn't be long until I was summoned... Finally, you can say my name... It's so nice to hear you say it." He whispered, a soft smile gracing his figures. "Oliver did well in retrieving this bracelet."

Klubas swung a bag infront of Brilliana's eyes, its contents glinting slightly due to the filtering light. "...My bracelet... My protection..." Without it, Brill felt so... Vulnerable.

"I told you Brilliana... You don't need some stupid silver to protect yourself- You have me."

"Blah blah blah," Herz released her arm, waving a hand. "Can't this love shit wait? We still have to get Lapio here. You know how he'll get if he finds out we didn't have her summon him. The boss gets angry if we don't do as we're told."

"Do we really have to? He'll try to take her all for himself..." Klubas grumbled, crossing his arms.

"Hm, as much as I'd love to play with Madame Brilliana first... We should call him." Almas wiped off his mouth with the back of his glove, smearing the blood instead of removing it.

"You heard 'em, Reine. Call Lapio."

"Who- Who is he? I... No! I don't want to! I refuse!"

"..." Herz rolled his eyes. "You know, I love a feisty gal as much as the next guy, but this misbehavior is getting out of hand, dear. Do you need a punishment?" He gripped her chin, forcing Brill to look into his eyes. "...Because I've been wanting to mark up this cute little face of yours since I first laid eyes on it."

Suddenly, Herz was yanked away, Klubas glaring darkly at the sadistic doctor. "..."

"Oh? Klubas, is your jealousy getting to you? How cute!" Herz teased, sticking his tongue out. Klubas growled, drawing a fist back- Before Almas got between the two.

"Now now, lets be civil adults in front of the lady." He commented, tsking. "Madame... Remember what happened last time you didn't listen?" His voice was light, but Brilliana didn't miss the threat laced in his words.

"...No. Do whatever you want to me, but I'm not summoning him!" All three boys tossed a glare in her direction.

"...Fine. I'll let Klubas have the first shot at you, I guess... Otherwise none of us will." Herz grumbled. He went over to a desk in the corner and reached in to pull out another scalpel. "Sharpened this baby just for you, Brill."

He handed the scalpel off to Klubas, who took it into his hand. "..." He didn't say anything, but turned his attention back to Brilliana.

"Ooh, may I go after Klubas? Madame's pretty face, all scarred and bleeding... Mgh, it sends chills through my body... " Almas licked his lips at the thought. "Then I can lap it all off her lovely face... I bet her blood tastes extravagant- It took everything I had to restrain myself when I dropped her.

"...I guess, Almas." Herz relented, puffing out his cheeks. He wasn't happy with this option, but what choice did he have? "Now then, let's begin, shall we?"

Klubas took Herz's old spot next to Brill, letting his free hand gingerly stroke her cheek. The tips of his fingers gently pushed a few stray hairs off her face, then he lifted the scalpel. Placing the blade against her cheek, he took in a shaky breath. Slowly, he let the blade sink into her unmarked cheek, shivering as he felt it break through her soft layers of skin.

Brilliana closed her eyes tightly, her tears finally escaping despite her attempts to control them. Klubas didn't sink the blade in far, but it was enough to draw blood. He slooooowly led the scalpel down her cheek to make a long, shallow cut. Then, he pulled the scalpel away, and starting from the bottom, licked his way up to the top of the wound. "..Fuck, Brill." He whispered, looking down at her with lust in his eyes. "Your blood... It tastes so sweet... I want more... I want -you-..."

Herz quickly yanked Klubas away at his words, hissing under his breath. "Klubas, contain yourself. We'll get our chance- But you know as well as I do that we have to make her beg for it."

"Be- Beg?" She was trembling, biting her lip roughly as she tried to rein in her tears. "Never! I'll never beg for any of you! You're all monsters! I should've let Nym end your miserable life! I hope you all burn in hell! Burn! You, and this goddamn Lapi---" She cut herself off. They wanted her to say it, and she absolutely refused.

"Hm... Almost. Alright Almas, you can have your turn... I have some tools to get." Tossing Brill a sinister grin, he turned and left the room. Almas stuck out his hand for the scalpel, and Klubas reluctantly handed it over.

Almas stole his spot and leaned in to lap at the cut on her cheek as well, licking the remnants of blood off his lips. He flipped the scalpel in his hand, and drove it into Brill's hand roughly, making her scream at the pure pain that flooded through her senses. In the midst of her screaming, he leaned in and roughly caught her lips with his own, forcing her to taste her own blood, mixed with that of his previous victim.

That didn't last longer than a moment, then he casually pulled the scalpel out of her flesh, leaning over to lick the pooling blood from her hand. "It really is delicious... Just as I imagined. -You- are delicious."

He moved away to sit in a chair, swinging his leg over the other. "I wonder what Herz went to get?" Just as he asked, the door opened again. Herz returned, wearing a set of gloves and a surgical mask. He had a dangerous glint in his eyes, and a spool of thread in his hand, along with a metal rod and a blowtorch. This had Brill sweating bullets. "Ready for your real punishment, sweetheart?"


	8. Poisonous Words

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tied down and afraid, Brilliana has no choice but to face the punishment Herz has set for her.

"No- No, Herz, don't do this-"She forced out. Herz exchanged glances with the other boys, and Almas tsked.

"You know this is your punishment... It's not like it'll be permanent, Madame. Well... Probably." He shrugged. "I can't read Herz's mind... But it seems like he really wants to punish you. It's only fair, since you're so misbehaved." Herz handed the rod and blowtorch to Almas, who easily switched it on and started heating up the metal. Herz stole the scalpel as well, walking over to Brill with his eyes completely devoid of emotion.

"You'll enjoy your punishment, don't worry... It's your first time, I'll be gentle." He whispered, threading the string through the hole of a needle. He eyed her mouth, then her eyes, clicking his tongue as he debated where to start.

"Klubas- Klubas, please, don't let him hurt me!" She begged, turning her attention to the last boy in the room. He at least seemed to be the sanest of the three she's met.

"...I'm sorry Brill. I don't have a say in the matter. You need to be punished." He stated softly, turning his back on her.

"Hm, I think I'll do the mouth last... Then again, we don't want Lapio to find out about this little punishment... Decisions, decisions... " He nodded his head as he finally decided, moving a hand to grip Brill's chin and keep her held in place. He inched the needle toward her mouth, and just as it was about to break the skin, his hand paused, his body shivering as he took a moment to look into her tear-filled, caramel eyes. "Oh lord, Brilliana... The way you're staring up at me, so desperate, so afraid... It's absolutely precious... It makes me want to scar up this pretty little face just so I can see more of this scared, pained face."

He moved the needle away, and pulled down the surgical mask so his lips could connect with her own, catching her by surprise. This one was surprisingly gentle, a hand moving to caress her cheek as the two momentarily shared that moment together. It didn't last long before he was yanked away by one of the others, Brill's shock and confusion settling in. "Eh...? Wh...?"

Then, it twisted into anger. "You... You guys suck...! That's the second time one of you has done that...! First Almas, now you...!" She spat out in disgust, hissing out at the three. "I hope you all suffer! I'm a person, you can't just kiss me like that!" The boys seemed to ponder this for a moment.

"Ah, but see madame... You don't understand yet... We just want to help you understand why we're doing this."

"Honestly... I still don't understand! This is idiotic! I hate you! I hate you!!" She shrieked, thrashing against her restraints. She could feel them digging into her pale skin, most likely leaving dark marks across her once pure skin, but she didn't care. At the moment all she cared about was giving these boys a piece of her mind.

Almas rolled his eyes overdramatically, and glanced down at the dead body he had left lying on the floor. "...My dear, are you hungry?" He wondered, a small smirk finding its way onto his handsome features. The other two looked at him with raised eyebrows, while Brilliana continued to rant, completely ignoring the question. Almas discarded the heated metal and firey weapon, and instead strolled over to steal the scalpel from Herz.

"Wh- Almas, what are you-" He started to complain, but Almas tsked, giving the other a dark smile as his eyes shifted to the body, then back to their captured princess. It took Herz a moment to realize what he was getting at, but once he did he happily stepped away, snickering into the back of his hand.

Klubas leaned against the wall with a sigh, closing his eyes. This was far too much for him- He just wished to take Brilliana back to his village and live in peace with her at his side. The others to him were just an annoyance... But one he had no choice but to deal with. He opened his eyes just in time to see Almas slicing off one of the fingers on his prey, licking his lips at the sight of the blood that dripped down the digit. He couldn't deny that it made him hungry too, but it was no mystery who would actually end up eating it.

"I hate you! You're a bunch of murderers! You're going to kill all my friends, and you'll end up killing me too! I hope you guys suffer the worst fate imaginable! I hope you guys end up burnt at the stake! I hope you guys end up stabbed through the heart! I hope someone fucking destroys you! I-"

"Now, that's quite some foul language, and that's quite rude too." Almas scolded, turning back to her with a disappointed glare on his face. "Especially since we're about to feed you. Most people just starve here." His footsteps toward her were slow and deliberate. He used the scalpel to remove the finger nail- Even he wouldn't subject her to that torture, those are gross. Once he was close enough, he set the scalpel aside and gripped her face with his free gloved hand, a wide grin on his face. "Now then, open wide my darling little brat."

Immediately Brilliana clamped her mouth shut, her eyes wide with terror. She couldn't see what he had been doing before, but she saw the finger when he was approaching her and the knot in her stomach told her that she made things ten times worse with all these insults. "Herz, get the needle and thread ready. I want her to keep this down, and the only way that's going to happen is... If we sew that cute little mouth of hers shut immediately after."

She whimpered, her heart pounding rapidly while tears formed in her eyes. She shook her head to indicate her disagreeance with that decision, not daring to open her mouth. However, Almas's grip on her face was far too harsh, and she let out a whine of pain, sobbing. He took his chance and forced the finger into her mouth, immediately clamping it shut and holding her chin in place. "Herz, now!"

Immediately Herz and Klubas both were over by the panicking girl, Klubas taking the opportunity to hold her down while Herz got to work with the thread and needle. "Shh, shh it's okay sweetheart, it's okay..." Herz cooed, finally letting the needle penetrate her skin for the first time.

Brilliana couldn't handle any of this. Too many pairs of hands were on her, the metallic taste of copper was flooding her mouth, along with the taste of human flesh- a taste she never thought she'd get to know or ever wanted to know. She barely even felt the needle as it entered her lips due to her pure panic about the -finger- in her mouth. She was going to be forced to swallow it too- She shook and fought and tried to scream, but her head was held fast while Herz sewed. She couldn't fight against them. She sobbed helplessly as she tried to force down the disgusting 'food' in one go, not even bothering to chew. She didn't want to try, she just wanted it gone. Maybe if she choked and died it'd all be over.

She kept trying, adamant in not chewing this damn finger until it finally slid down- only to immediately try and come back up again. She retched and choked on her vomit, her throat and lungs burning, and all she could do was force it back down. Herz backed away once his job was done, trimming the thread to admire his handiwork. Her mouth was completely sealed, with not a bit of leeway for her to open it. The stitching, completely straight and neat, perfectly done. No matter how many times it tried to come back up she had no choice but to force it back down while they watched, poor Brilliana sobbing at the pain and embarrassment of it all until, finally, it stayed down.

Her chest heaved. Her throat felt like it was on fire. All she wanted to do right now was end it all and die. Klubas slowly let his gloved hand pet her hair, making the girl shiver in pure disgust. "Now then... What shall we do? We can't have her summon Lapio like this..."

"That's true, isn't it. Hm." Herz locked his hands behind his neck, looking lost in thought as he debated the situation. "Aah what to do~ We could always rip the stitches out! That's always fun." Immediately Brill shook her head, and Klubas's grip on her tightened protectively.

"I think we've put her through enough punishment-wise."

"Aww, I didn't get to use my blowtorch and brand though!"

"I don't care. Ripping out the stitches is not something I'll let you do to Reine."

"Tsk," Herz pouted, looking away. However, he didn't seem to really be disappointed, instead he seemed to be pondering. Almas was back over at the discarded corpse, hungrily licking the spot where a finger used to be on the poor woman. Brilliana didn't pay much attention to that though, instead focusing on her own situation. Large hands gently caressed her scalp, the fingers running through her tangles and braids to undo them with ease. Despite her fear and horror at the situation, and the tears rapidly running down her face, she couldn't help but find this touch comforting in her time of distress.

"...Someone hand me the scalpel." The boy petting her requested, continuing his soft ministrations. Almas straightened up once more, stretching out as he removed his hat to let his messy hair free for the moment.

"Hm? What do you intend on doing, Klubas?"

"I'm going to undo the stitches. This is too cruel, and besides... I miss her voice." Klubas let his eyes scan the area, before landing on the nearby scalpel Almas had put down earlier. One hand reached out to grab it, and the other gently positioned her head. "Miss Brilliana... My reine, please, stay still. I don't want to hurt you, okay?" He whispered to the trembling, sobbing girl. Quickly, she nodded, before Klubas's grip tightened and the scalpel slowly lowered toward her mouth.

If she even flinched, that sharp blade would pierce her skin. Klubas made sure to go slow, gently working the blade under the strings one at a time, and turning it to snap it in half.

It was slow work, with Brilliana tense the entire time, but soon the blade was moved away from her face and she could once again open her mouth. She stretched her jaw first just to make sure while Klubas pulled the strings out and away, tossing them into a nearby garbage bin. "We are not doing this to her again."

"That's a matter of opinion." Herz hummed, leaning against the wall as he watched the two. "I think I'll do it again if it merits it." The room went silent, blood red eyes meeting vivid yellow ones as the two glared at each other. Finally, Almas stepped between them.

"Now now, come on. We're supposed to get along, for Madame Brilliana!" He scolded, giving a firm look to both the other boys. "You know what Lapio will do if we don't." His voice lowered to a whisper, a hint of a threat lingering within. But was it a threat from him, or from someone else? Then, Almas turned his attention back to Brill, a sympathetic smile on his face as he placed a hand over his heart and bowed. "My apologies for their childish behavior, my dear. Please, forgive them?"

All she could do was glare. He didn't seem phased however, and turned his attention away once more. "Now then, we should get going. We've got some things to prepare at home, don't we?" Herz narrowed his eyes, crossing his arms.

"Are you sure we're good to leave her here alone?" He wondered aloud, his eyes glossing over their captive. "My hospital isn't exactly... The safest place."

"Do we have much of a choice?" Klubas muttered bitterly, reluctantly pulling himself away from Brilliana. "Have your nurse look after her. That's what nurses are for." Herz semed to brighten up at the idea.

"Ah, of course! I completely forgot about her!" And, with a simple snap of his fingers, there were loud, frantic footsteps heading for their current room. Soon, the nurse from earlier entered, looking down at her feet. He turned his dark gaze to her immediately. "Hey. Take care of her, keep her safe. We have to head home for a bit, and if I come back and discover one thing out of place... It'll be you that pays the price, my dear." He strode over, and gripped her chin, lifting her head to look into his eyes. "My pets have been craving a new playtoy after all... So do a good job, or you know what'll happen."

"Y-Yes, my d-doctor," She forced out timidly, her entire body trembling as she forced her arms to stay at her side. Herz's dangerous look immediately brightened, and he pat her head lovingly.

"Good girl! Go ahead and bandage her up, too. Her hand I mean, everything else is pretty much okay." Brilliana almost laughed and commented on how the holes around her mouth were definitely -not- okay, but instead she held her tongue for fear of losing it. "We'll be back shortly."

The nurse was released, and she immediately moved out of the doorway, wringing her hands together as she waited for the boys to file out. "There, now that our lovely Reine is taken care of, let's get going." Almas hummed, connecting his hands together behind his back. With a nod, the boys finally started to file out, the door quietly shutting behind Klubas as he was the last to leave. Now it was just Brilliana and the nurse, all alone in the room.

"...Y-you poor girl." The nurse whispered, making Brill jump.

"H-Huh? What do you mean?"

"You've caught the eye of some very bad men... B-But you probably know that by now, I'm s-sorry..! I'm not supposed to t-talk with the um, 'patients', but... Doctor Herz has never asked me to take care of one of them before..." She muttered, lost in thought. Her attention drifted to Brill's hand, and she went over to a cabinet to get some supplies to help take care of it.

"...They... They think I'm special or something... I don't know what's going on..." She admitted, her form limp against the bed. "They call me 'Reine', and keep being weird, and I... I don't know what to do. My name isn't Reine, it's Brilliana, damn it...! They won't leave me alone..." The nurse approached once more, and carefully undid the bindings that held Brill down, helping her sit up.

"Hmm.. I'm not sure, I'm sorry... I've heard them all talk about a Reine before, but I'm not allowed to linger long enough to hear more. I wish I could be of help... I don't want you to end up like me, or... Worse..." She didn't elaborate on 'worse', she didn't need to. Herz made it very clear he liked making his pets, and that seemed like a fate worse than death. A hiss escaped past Brilliana's lips as a burning substance was poured over her hand, white bubbles forming at the stab wound as it cleaned and ate away at any chance for infection, then it was quickly followed by a set of soft gauze that wrapped around her palm with ease. The nurse even tied it into a bow at the end.

"...What's your name?"

"My name?" She looked shocked, her eyes widening. "Um... It- It's Hannah.. Nobody has asked for my name in so long, I almost forgot it." That was the saddest thing Brilliana ever heard.

"...Hannah, come with me. We can get out of here; I have a friend who can help! You- You met her, right? Room 301?" She squeaked at the surprise request, a hand rising to cover her mouth in shock.

"You mean the forest nymph? It's odd that Doctor Herz kept her in there, yet didn't lay a hand on her..." Wait, what.

"...What do you mean?! She was missing her -eyes-!"

"Huh? Ah- oh... You don't know about their- I see..." She closed her eyes and debated for a moment, before sighing. "...Brilliana, I can't come with you. I've given up on my life, and now I'm simply waiting for the day Doctor Herz ends my life... In fact, I crave it. Never before have I wanted to die so badly..." She whispered, choking back a sob. "But- But you... You have to leave... I can't keep you here, knowing what I do about them. I'm going to let you out."

"Hannah..."

"Your friend is waiting for you outside. She's been trying to find a way in, but all the entrances are sealed... You can only get in if you have a key- but I can open the door." Brilliana's arms immediately wrapped around the girl, pulling her into a tight hug.

"...Thank you." She whispered. Soft sniffles came from the nurse in her arms, and arms wrapped around her in turn. "...I don't want to let He-er-The doctor hurt you in retribution..."

"Really, it'll be okay. Come on." The two rose to their feet, a soft hand grabbing Brill's own. "I'll lead you through."

As the two moved to exit, something glimmering caught Brill's eye, making her pause. "Hm..?" She wondered, pulling away momentarily to bend down. A loud gasp left her, and her face stretched into a smile. It was the bag with her bracelet in it! "Klub- The mayor must have dropped it on his way out!" She chimed, forcing herself to keep calm so she didn't fist-bump the air. Slipping the silver out of the bag, she returned it to its place around her wrist, and immediately all her fear and senses seemed to calm. "...Now then Hannah... Let's get going."

\--

When the boys returned to an empty room, it was rough. There were arguments between the three, with Herz blaming Klubas, and Klubas blaming both Herz and Almas, whereas Almas was just upset about the loss of their precious Reine. "That damned nurse... We never should have trusted her! The only one worthy of watching her is one of us!" Herz hissed, kicking one of his expensive medical stands. A cough filled the room, and the three barely glanced at the boy standing in the doorway before tension filled the air. When they realized he was here, the boys quickly turned and bowed lightly, acknowledging the new presence.

"Lapio! When did you get here?" Almas wondered, lifting his head.

"I've been here the entire time, you imbeciles. I've been following Brilliana since the beginning, watching her- And all of your interactions with her." He hissed, storming toward Herz. He gripped him by his shirt, yanking him off the floor. "You. How dare you even think of sewing her mouth shut? How -dare- you think of harming her precious skin? We shouldn't be doing that yet. You know we'll all have our chance, but for now we should be treating her with respect. Don't you want her to stay??"

"Of course I do! We all do!" He protested, raising a hand to grip Lapio's wrist. "But she won't stay of her own volition, why would she?" Suddenly, a sinister grin formed on Lapio's face, and he turned to look at Klubas.

"Oh, I think I know how to make her stay. Klubas? Remember that little maid of yours? Bring her home." Klubas snapped out of a trance, turning his head to Lapio.

"You mean Stalla? Why do you- Ah." Realization hit, and he nodded. "I see. I can do that. Shall I bring Oliver as well? She seems weak for others- Willing to give up everything if it means keeping them safe."

"Make it so. Boys, don't worry. We'll have our precious Reine in our grip soon enough... All the paths foretell it." One by one, the boys looked to one another, snide grins on their faces. "And then... We can punish her for this game of cat and mouse."


End file.
